Swan Lake with an African twist

Photo courtesy: www.biennaledeladanse.com

I went to see Dada Masilo's Swan Lake a couple of nights ago with an unlikely date, my son - who came out of his first ballet experience, somewhat underwhelmed. I, on the other hand, together with the entire Wednesday night audience was blown away.
After the final dramatic scene,  which has an interesting twist, the audience got to its feet and gave an overwhelming ovation. It was not Tchaikovsky's classic ballet as you know it, but more a raucous combination of classical ballet and African dance.

Books: THE BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Title: The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons and an Unlikely Road to Manhood
Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates
Published: 2008
Genre: Memoir

I read this in two days. I enjoyed it that much. I had also wanted to go to a reading that the author was giving at the American Library of Paris, and thought it best to at least attend the reading, having actually read the book. I did not make the reading however, but I learnt a great deal about what growing up in the West Baltimore, in the years post the civil rights era was like.

Places : Château de Chantilly

Château de Chantilly is located 40km north of Paris - an approximate forty-five minute drive. Wikipedia lists it as a historic château - aren't they all historic though?
As part of our historical reading in my french class last semester, we read the memoirs of Madame de Sévigné, and our french teacher advised that we visit the Château de Chantilly as this was where where some of her writings regarding the life of the court were set.

Eating at Milton's, sampling the catch of the day in Pylos, and Asian fusion food at Inbi.

Once of the reasons I started this blog was to share, at the time, my culinary discoveries in Ghana. I soon realised though that I loved eating food more than I do writing about it. I can talk about it endlessly, and even photograph it fairly well, but somehow the words do not seem quite adequate when trying to tell about a tasting experience or culinary surprise that left my heart beating just a bit faster.

Books: POWDER NECKLACE by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

Title: Powder Necklace
Author: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction

Powder Necklace tells the story of 13/14 year old Lila who is uprooted without warning by her mother from London to Ghana. Although Ghanaian by birth, Lila has never lived in Ghana. She is at the cusp of her teenage years, and although she is not an out-and-out rebellious teenager, her divorced, single and overwhelmed mother, wanting to remove her from the influences of London and 'needing a break' sends her to a girls' boarding school in Ghana.

Golden Baobab's 2013 Longlist announced

Now that African wanderlust will also also be hosting its book blog  - all book-related posts will make their way here.

This is slightly belated post, but Golden Baobab announced the longlist for its much coveted Children's Literature Prize. All details on their website.

Paris Fashion Week 2013 Spring/Summer is here

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that living in the fashion capital of the world is wasted on me. Yes, I love looking at beautiful clothes, and every so often I will spend a morning window licking shopping - I love that the french phrase; lèche-vitrines for this translates as window licking- and I love nothing more than sitting at a pavement café, nursing a café,  people watching and  admiring the many and varying fashion styles of the Parisians, but I have yet to understand the obsession with Fashion Week.
As it happens, it is almost that time of the year again when the city is abuzz with events that herald in  what fashion-savvy people will be wearing next Spring, or is it Summer? What fascinates me most is the excitement around an event that will showcase clothing which the fashion-savvy will declare as so very last year, next year this time.

The year ahead for African wanderlust

The rentrée came and went without too many glitches and we're all on our way into a new year. Welcome back Dear Reader. Having reviewed last year's activity on this blog -  it could definitely have used some guest bloggers or someone more committed than I was.
Some changes around the corner though. I will be posting on a more regular basis and will also include the book reviews that were on my writing blog, which I have decided to stop running. So many blogs, so little time. All past posts from that blog will be moved onto this one.

All comments and suggestions are always welcome, I will still be keeping with the themes of African wanderlust: some restaurant recommendations, many book reviews, a smattering of profiles, photography on the photoblog and of course the random musings.

Thank you for visiting if you're new to this page, and thank you for coming back again and again to all you readers clicking on daily.